Destructive Interference
by ValaMagic
Summary: Martha enlists Alexis' help to try and get Beckett and Castle together... Will her efforts be helpful or drive them further apart? Do they even need her help? Caskett! Rating is for later chapters...
1. Chapter 1

AN: Hey everyone. This is my first Castle fic... it probably won't be too long but it'll definitely be a few parts at least. Anyway. Enjoy this first chapter, i'll try and get the next one up soon, but comments will get me writing faster ;)

Disclaimer: None of the characters or the show belong to me.

Chapter 1

"Why don't people just tell each other how they feel?" Alexis muttered throwing her pen across the kitchen counter. Her comment was directed at no one in particular but Martha responded anyway.

"Well Darling, people get scared of being rejected or of things changing, or making a mistake. But between you and me those people are idiots. We're the smart ones you and I, we tell people how we feel about them." The older lady draped an arm around her granddaughter's shoulder while she spoke the other arm waving vague flourishes through the air.

"What about Dad?"

"Your father?" Martha asked surprised "He doesn't know what's good for him. If he did he would've told that hot detective what a minx she is by now" Alexis had to laugh at her grandmother's choice of words but agreed that the sentiment was certainly right.

"I like Kate" Alexis stated, not sure how else to respond to her grandmother's spiel.

"Yes. Those two have a real chance at something if they ever sort themselves out... Of course maybe we should give them a helping hand." Alexis could almost see the light bulb flash above Martha's head, she could certainly hear the warning sirens that whatever Martha had planned would be disastrous.

"I don't think Dad would approve" she answered dubiously.

"Your father doesn't approve of a lot of things, but that's never stopped me. Don't you think it's time you have some fun"

"I don't know. Maybe we should just let them sort it out by themselves..." Alexis reasoned.

"No that wouldn't do. I might die while I wait for those two to figure themselves out. This calls for an intervention"

"Well count me out of this" Alexis decided turning back to her homework.

"Hmm, let me see" Martha muttered to herself disappearing into the living room "I could lock them in a closet... no that's too cliché, besides there's no closets around here. How about setting them up on a date. How unoriginal. I need to think of something really unique" she decided. Alexis groaned, Richard Castle and Kate Beckett were going to be in for a shock and she hated to admit it but she wouldn't miss it for anything.

"Hey kiddo. Are you doing homework again? You know you really should do something fun every so often" Her father entering the kitchen surprised Alexis and for a moment she considered telling him what his mother was planning but decided against it, wondering whether her father would consider her helping her grandmother set him up with Kate as fun.

"I have a test on Shakespeare tomorrow, I have to study" Alexis protested already turning back to her notes.

"Okay, here I'll help. What year was the bard born?"

"That's an easy one. April 23, 1564."

"You know that you're ready for anything." Castle declared "I have to go. There's a murder to solve" he added pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Yeah. Okay Dad. Go see your muse" He waved already heading out of the apartment.

Martha appeared a few minutes later leaving Alexis wondering if she was ever going to be able to finish studying for her test the next day without interruptions "I have an idea, but I'm going to need your help" Martha announced.

"I thought I already told you to count me out of whatever you were planning?"

"But Sweetheart, this won't work without you and don't you want to see your father happy?"

"Of course. But what if it backfires"

"It won't backfire. Besides what I want you to do isn't a big deal at all, in fact no one will ever know it was part of the plan. Your grandmother is very clever you know"

"Fine. Tell me" Alexis did not have time to argue with her grandmother about semantics, besides, what could it hurt to hear her out?

*****

"Castle, glad you could join us" Beckett called wryly from the other side of the public garden that was apparently showing more than flowers to its visitors.

"Nice to see you too Detective Beckett, you're looking dashing this morning might I say" He placed a foam cup of steaming coffee into her hands, made just the way she liked it; black, no sugar. She scrambled for a response to his comment trying to find some way not to look like an idiot in front of her team, or Castle for that matter. Castle watched on amused, he knew he shouldn't tease her, but she looked so cute when she was flustered.

"Castle. We're at a crime scene. A little respect for the deceased would be nice"

"Why certainly Detective Beckett. We can continue this little conversation at my place later if you'd prefer"

"Ugh" Beckett huffed before turning back to the crime scene leaving an amused Castle in her wake.

"Is that a yes then?"

"Castle!" she warned.

"Yeah, I know. Dead guy, respect" she glared at him, a look that was clearly meant to tell him that his version of respecting the dead still needed a little work.

"Life goes on" he called out before his mind had time to realise what he was doing.

She froze "Excuse me?"

"I'm just saying that even though this woman is dead our lives continue. Don't you think she'd want us to cherish life and to live it?" He could tell he had Beckett with that, not that she would ever concede defeat.

"How does joking about getting into my pants show that you cherish life?" Beckett spat back.

"Sex is all about life" he replied happily his mind providing images of a certain brunette with heavenly long legs and perky little breasts begging for his touch. Sometimes he cursed the vivid imagination that accompanied his talent for writing.

"All about life? What kind of crap are you spouting now Castle? For you sex is all about controlling beautiful women" He crossed the distance between them in two short strides until he was so close that he could smell the bitterness of her coffee against his neck.

He leant close to her ear before speaking, his voice a low whisper "You're wrong Detective. Sometimes I like the woman to be in control"

Castle didn't pay attention to the crime scene after that, instead he kept his focus resolutely on Beckett and her reaction to both his comment and his proximity. Of course it was all for the sake of research and had nothing whatsoever to do with his growing attraction to his latest muse.

He watched as her brow furrowed in concentration when she looked at the victim, how her lips parted ever so slightly while she wrote in her notepad. Every so often one hand would come up to scratch her nose or her hair. When he got closer he could see the muscles in her legs flexing beneath her tight tailored pants which led him to conclude that she was wiggling her toes within her high heeled boots. If he hadn't known she was so afraid of looking weak in front of the boys he would have offered her a foot massage then and there.

Castle didn't notice as the body was placed carefully into a body bag and carted off to the coroner's office, nor did he notice Ryan and Esposito head back to the precinct to start searching for an ID. The only thing that pulled him out of his detailed oriented examination of Kate Beckett was the woman herself standing directly in front of him, hands on hips, a look that was halfway between glare and smirk on her face.

"Like what you see, Castle?" the man in question knew that no matter what response he gave he would be screwed. The half smirk/glare told him that he was damned if he did and damned if he didn't. Surely it was better to stick to the truth?

"You have no idea how much. In fact if you're up for it, I'd really like to take you back to your place so you can find out just how out of control I can be"

"I'm going to pass on that one. Not that I need to see you out of control any more than I already do"

"You wound me Detective Beckett" As if to prove his point Castle grabbed his chest, his hands clasped above his supposedly wounded heart.

"I'll wound you more if you don't go away. I have a gun remember" He remembered all right, she reminded him every other sentence.

"You know I was serious about going back to your place. I can take control if you'd like" she sent him a warning glare "I'm serious. I have questions to ask, some that I think you'd appreciate I didn't ask in front of the guys"

"We're alone now" Beckett pointed out gesturing to the empty garden.

"Fine. Are you free tonight?"

"No. Now, can we get back to the precinct?"

"What are you doing tonight?" Beckett was silent for long enough to confirm Castle's suspicions. Beckett was going to spend the night working "You know, you have to take some time off every now and then. Let me take you out for a nice dinner. No work" he pleaded.

"That sounds suspiciously like a date" she pointed out.

"Yes I suppose it does. I'm surprised you know what a date is" he teased.

"I'm more surprised that you do"

"So? Will you come?" His blue eyes pleaded with her, a few strands of hair fell forward across his face.

"I am not going on a date with you" Beckett told him firmly.

"Fine. What if I take you out for dinner and pick your brains?" Beckett sighed, there didn't seem a way out of it, maybe it would get rid of him sooner if she went.

"Okay. I'll go. But not somewhere fancy." Castle nodded solemnly only his twinkling eyes betraying any plans he might have to ignore her request. Not that she expected him to listen anyway. He never did.

AN: Don't forget to review.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Hey guys, i'm majorly sorry that it's taken me so long to do this chapter and i guess i don't really have an excuse so i'll just have to hope you forgive me and keep leaving me nice reviews.

Chapter 2

"Hey Dad, since it's nearly summer, it'd be really cool to have a new wardrobe" Alexis did as her grandmother had requested.

"Does this have anything to do with that guy?" her father teased.

"Maybe" Alexis conceded happily, hoping it would stop her father probing for the real reason for the impromptu shopping trip she was suggesting in a very indirect way.

"Well, I think we can squeeze in some shopping over the weekend if you'd like. Or you can go with your friends"

"No, it's okay Dad, I'd like to go with you. Would it be okay if Kate came too though, a female perspective would be really helpful, and I don't think Grandma is quite what I need"

"Yeah, Grandma can be a bit outdated" Castle admitted "But Detective Beckett? You really want Detective Beckett to come with us?"

"Yeah Dad I do" Alexis offered no further explanation as to her desire for such an odd shopping companion and hoped her father wouldn't question her conviction.

"Well, if you're sure, then I guess I'll have a chat with her"

"Thanks Dad, you're the best" Castle smiled when his daughter wrapped her arms around him as a sign of appreciation, wondering if he'd still be so appreciated when Beckett turned him down, which she undoubtedly would. Not that he was going to give up because of a little resistance though. He'd make sure he did everything he could to keep his little girl happy, although he couldn't deny that the idea of spending part of his weekend with Beckett outside of work would be enjoyable, and interesting.

"Now, how about you help your old man pick out an outfit for his dinner" Castle asked casually pulling himself back to the present and the non-date that he still had to get ready for and if he was going to pick up Beckett on time he'd better make it fast.

"Since when do you need help getting dressed?"

"I just thought you might want some input, so I don't leave looking like a homo." He didn't wait for a response before disappearing towards the stairs, he didn't have time for Alexis' indecision.

"Fine" she grumbled trailing after him "Wait a second. You never told me who you're having dinner with" a surprising thought suddenly crossing her mind.

"It's not important" Castle dismissed.

"Right, of course it's not" Alexis replied sarcastically "It's Detective Beckett, isn't it"

"Yes" Castle admitted "But it's work. For me that is. We're going to talk about the book"

"Sure you are" she muttered disbelievingly before receiving a reproachful look from her father "Fine, let's just get you dressed"

Ten minutes later Alexis had convinced him to go with the pink shirt and jeans and talked him out of the tie. He had reservations about the outfit but if he wanted to pick up Kate on time then he didn't have time to get changed again.

On his way out the door he reminded his teenage daughter not to do anything crazy while he was gone, not that he thought she would, sometimes he wondered how he'd gotten as lucky as he had with Alexis. Then he requested in a whisper that she keep an eye on her grandmother, who he knew needed all the supervision his daughter didn't.

Miraculously, Castle was standing outside Kate's apartment five minutes early. He wondered whether he should ring the bell anyway and hope that she was ready, or should he wait outside until the exact time he was supposed to pick her up? Maybe seven meant seven fifteen, or worse seven thirty, he knew some women believed that arriving on time for a date was incredibly rude and cut into their primping time. But the more Castle thought about it the less he thought that Kate was one of those people. No Detective Beckett valued punctuality and she certainly wouldn't appreciate him arriving late, good thing he was early he decided pressing the bell for her apartment without thinking about it anymore.

"Castle" Beckett seemed surprised to see the man who had been studying her for the past few months on her doorstep. Though Castle surmised that her surprise was not so much because he was there but because he was on time and he wondered not for the first time what sort of mistreatment she'd suffered from the other men who had passed through her life.

His next thought was how stunning she looked outside of work. His intuitive writer told him that she wasn't the sort of person who worried much about fashion, but she still liked to look good. Or maybe she didn't care, and it was all incidental, either way Kate Beckett was the kind of woman that could make men everywhere drool, and even a few women Castle guessed.

He'd half expected her to be wearing jeans and a sweater, the thought that she might be wearing a skirt had barely crossed his mind. He wasn't even sure she owned one. But there she was, framed by the soft light from within her apartment in a stylish black skirt topped by a flimsy purple shirt that left little to his imagination. If he wanted to know Kate Beckett better then he was certainly getting his wish.

"You look nice tonight" he finally commented.

"Just let me grab my purse and we can get going" Castle barely heard the words, he was focussed on the way she tilted her head forward trying to hide the faint blush that spread across her cheeks from his positive appraisal.

"Oh, no hurry. I couldn't get reservations until eight" Castle made no attempt to hide the way his eyes strayed over her shoulder to take in the homey decor of her apartment, filing each object away for examination later.

"Fine, come in" she agreed with a sigh, noticing the way Castle's eyes lit up upon being granted entry into her apartment "You better not use all this for Nikki Heat" she added, able to guess what his mind was already doing.

"Nikki Heat is just based on you, she's not actually you, so while I might use some things I'm not going to use everything and if there's something that you really don't want me to use then I have to respect that."

"Wow, never expected that from you Castle, guess you do have a soul" Even though the comment was meant mostly in fun, Castle still grimaced at the harsh words.

"Kate" he pleaded for her to understand, to forgive him for making her so exposed.

"Let's just go Castle. Don't you have some grilling you want to do?"


End file.
